Sinusitis, an inflammation of the mucosal tissue lining the sinus walls, may lead to nasal passageway blockage, mucous stagnation and bacterial or fungal sinus cavity infection. When antibiotics cannot relieve sinusitis, sinus surgery, which involves sinus opening and mucosal tissue removal, may be an alternative. But the post-operative care for such surgery requires temporary and uncomfortable sinus packing such as lengthy gauze to support the re-opened sinus passage and to absorb excess fluid while the tissues heal. At a later time, the gauze packing has to be removed, and this removal is painful.
Sinus sealants and other biological materials have emerged as a promising technique to temporarily seal or otherwise protect the post-operative passageways with less intrusion and pain than that caused by gauze packing.